A fund to help children with leukemia has been set up in southwestern China's Chongqing municipality, with aims at easing patients' families' financial burden.

Chongqing Economic Times reported Wednesday that children with leukemia in the city will receive up to US$150,000 yuan or 18,500 from the Red Cross managed fund on August 31, 2005.

The newspaper said that the first fund of its kind in China offers financial support to children under the age of 18 with household registration in the city. Grants are available for children from families below the poverty line, and those living under financial burden arising from medical treatment that meets the minimum assistance standard set by the Red Cross.

Marrow donators shall enjoy preferential treatment due to the limited fund. Other patients would be considered in their order of application and in terms of emergency.

Chongqing Municipality has seen an increasing number of patients with leukemia. About 500 new children patients are added each year in the city. The country as a whole discovers 40,000 leukemia patients every year. Half of them are children with a majority aged 2 to 7 years old.

(CRI August 31, 2005)